One Step at a Time
by AJ Rayne
Summary: Sokka, Toph, and their relationship. A series of oneshots that follow the Tokka100 LJ Community.
1. Legacy

**#56 - Legacy: From One Scrape to the Next**

* * *

Her distinctive wail had Sokka running across the courtyard before he was even aware of what he was doing. By the time he reached her side, her cries reached maximum volume and he winced at the sound. 

"Alright, alright," he soothed, putting a strong arm around her. "I'm here. What happened?"

"I feeeeeeeeeell," she whined, clutching at a bloody knee.

"We'll patch it right up, Sweetheart. Don't worry about it."

She sniffled and looked up at him with eyes the color of rich jade as he wiped at her knee with a cloth. Her small hand clutched his trustingly, sure that he could make her feel better, and looking at her, he felt like he could do anything.

"I'm brave, right?" she asked in a small voice that was the complete opposite of the sound that had been coming out of her mouth.

"Braver than I could ever be," he assured her.

"Braver than Mommy, too?"

At that, Sokka grinned. "I wouldn't go that far."

"_I heard that_!"

Toph's voice boomed like the echo of a landslide. She holding their daughter in the next breath, her expression slightly panicked as she moved a hand over the injured knee.

"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly, the same frightened expression on her face that had been on Anka's. "Does it hurt a lot, Anka?"

"No, I'm okay," Anka answered with a pitiful sniffle that very nearly made her a martyr. "Daddy fixed it."

"He didn't," Toph said with a glower for Sokka.

"He _did_," Anka insisted. "Tell her, Daddy."

"I really did," Sokka echoed somberly.

"Come on inside," Toph said dismissively and Sokka knew that had she been ten years younger, she would have stuck her tongue out at him. "We'll clean that up."

Hand in hand, the two women in his life walked towards the house, leaving Sokka sitting on the dusty ground. He watched their identical gaits, the ebony sheen of their hair underneath the hot sun, the way they started to argue—probably over whether or not he'd fixed Anka's cut—and smiled. In Anka, Toph had ensured a legacy of equal parts brashness, strength, and compassion. There was no doubt in Sokka's mind that their daughter was his wife in miniature.

So where did that leave him?

As he got up, Sokka reflected that ensuring that his daughter and his wife didn't bend each other to oblivion was his gift to time—after all, his daughter was destined for greatness and Toph had plenty more good works left in her. Together, they were unstoppable, his Earthbenders. Whistling tunelessly, he sauntered over to the house, heard the start of a pretty good fight, and knew there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

-fin-


	2. Stumble

**# 79 - Stumble: Follow the Leader**

* * *

Sokka eyes were half-opened as he stumbled down the corridors of the inn. He made a face when his bare foot made contact with something sticky and wet, and he was very aware that he smelled like the lumpy mattress he'd been lying on. If he hadn't been so tired, he wouldn't have been able to be in the same room as that rank piece of bedding, but he couldn't afford to be picky. It wasn't the most accommodating of places, but with their lack of funds, it was the best they could do.

There was no light in the corridor and he tried to remember the layout, but his brain refused to comply with his wishes. He wanted to go back to sleep but nature demanded he take care of this before he could go back to dreamland. He put a hand on the wall, winced when he caught a fingertip in a crack, and cursed under his breath when a splinter lodged itself in his palm.

Suddenly, a cool hand slipped into his and confidently started to lead him deeper into the inky dark. It was an unfamiliar touch and he pulled back, but the hand held fast. It was small, engulfed in his larger grip, but the palm that rubbed against his was just as calloused and the fingers rough as they curled around his. Yet, the bones were slender and delicate, and he knew the skin of its owner was as pale as porcelain. It was the hand of someone who knew hard work...but shouldn't.

Then again, the girl the hand was attached to was many things she shouldn't be, yet was.

Lost in his thoughts, he stumbled again and nearly had his arm yanked out of its socket as a result.

"Pay attention, Snoozles," Toph said in a harsh whisper. "Your bumbling around was like fireworks going off in my head. I'm trying to help you out here, so the least you can do is stay on your feet."

"I didn't ask you to get out of bed on my account," he retorted. "I know how you need your beauty sleep."

"Yeah, well..." she muttered. "I wasn't that upset about getting up from that sorry excuse of a mattress."

She stopped without warning and he ran into her back. She yelped when he caught himself by bracing his hands on her shoulders, his body flush against hers. Sokka was surprised with how slender she was, but she stood her ground, not giving him an inch even though he was a head taller and a great deal heavier than she was. Without thinking, he ran his hands down her arms, felt the tensing of her muscles, but also the smoothness of her bare skin.

"You alright?" he asked, his throat suddenly tight.

"In case you've forgotten, I can smash rocks," she said dryly. "You're no rock."

"You really know how to make a guy feel good," he returned.

She snickered and reached back to take his hand, but he took hers first. He sensed her surprise, but she didn't hesitate to twine her fingers with his. His foot fell into a space where a floor board should have been, but he kept his balance.

"Lead the way," he said.

"I think I will."

-fin-


	3. Touch

**#8 - Touch  
**

* * *

Toph woke up to the familiar sound of Sokka's snoring. She'd learned to live with it but sometimes the volume rose enough to wake her from the depths of slumber. She made a mental note to keep him away from the roast lamb so soon before bedtime.

Annoyed, she reached across the bed and started to shake him awake, but the touch of his warm skin underneath her hand had a calming effect on her. Instead of slapping his arm like she'd meant to do, she curled her fingers around his forearm and let the warmth of his skin seep into hers. Slowly, she drew her hand up higher, to the firm muscle of his bicep, and up to his shoulder. She ran a finger across the scar from a long ago run in with an arrow. His hair brushed against the back of her hand, and she stretched her fingers up, to idly brush them through. Usually he had it pulled back, but she liked being able to run her fingers through it, even though he complained that he felt like a pet when she did it. He sighed—a welcome break from his snoring—and moved closer to her.

Turning on her side, Toph rested her hand over his heart. Its rhythm kept in time to hers, a fact that never ceased to amaze her. Then again, there were lots of things about him that amazed her, even after all this time. Her hand continued its journey across his body until she could curl it against his side and she laid her cheek on his shoulder, a small smile on her face. He had a habit of sleeping naked, explaining to her that silk sheets should not be wasted by wearing pajamas, and on warm summer nights like this one she was more than happy to share that habit with him. She put a leg over his, grinned when he put a hand on her thigh more out of reflex than anything else.

No matter her mood or state of mind, touching him had a way of soothing her center. She'd been told more than once that many women thought him handsome, but she'd scoffed at that. His looks meant nothing to her, but how he felt beneath her fingertips meant the world. She knew every curve, every scar, and every dip of him. She knew that when she cupped his face in her hands, she could stroke the strong line of cheekbones and run her thumbs across his lips. Even though she was tall, nearly as tall as he was, all she had to do was rest against him in a certain way, touch her temple to the strong edge of his jaw, and she could fit in the circle of his arms, sheltered.

She put her hand on his cheek now, her touch gentle, but enough to wake him.

"If you're gonna feel me up, at least wake me up before you do it," he mumbled, sliding an arm under her and holding her against his side.

"Where's the fun in that?" she countered, shifting so that she was on top of him. "Your snoring woke me up so I thought you owe me this one."

She heard his soft laughter.

"I'm more than happy to pay."

She touched her lips to his.

-fin-


	4. Dance

**#80 - Dance: The Reason People Have Parties  
**

* * *

Toph caught herself swaying to the music and quickly stopped before someone noticed her. She hated her parents' parties, but couldn't get out of joining them, especially since she was planning on taking over the business and skipping the whole part about getting married altogether. She figured she needed to make them happy as much as possible to make up for completely turning tradition on its head. 

From the murmurs she heard pointed in her direction, she was drawing too much attention to herself as it was. At least, she was allowed one small bit of female pride that she was finally getting attention for something other than her blindness or her bending; if she heard correctly, she looked beautiful tonight...stunning even, if others were to be believed. The high, wide skirt was a bit cumbersome to wear, her collar itched, and her head ached because of how tightly her hair was pulled back, but she supposed she could suffer a bit for beauty. After having three of her handmaids fussing over her for more than four hours, it was _almost_ worth it.

Words were fine and good, but Toph would have liked one of the young men standing nearby to quit whispering and just ask her to dance. She did enjoy a nice spin on the dance floor now and again, and even though she had no intention of marrying any of the men her parents had invited, she enjoyed the kind of power she felt when they catered to her every whim. It was different, but not unpleasant. Usually, at his point during the night, one or two would have already asked her to dance, but so far no one had. If she was so beautiful, why was she standing without a partner? What was the point of having a fancy party if she was only going to stand around while everyone else had a good time?

"Sokka, is my skirt crooked?" she hissed at the lurking form behind her.

Distracted, Sokka glanced over at her, and the heavily ornamented young man he'd been glaring at started to creep forward towards Toph again. His movement drew Sokka's attention back and Sokka's eyes narrowed dangerously. It was enough to make the other man turn on his heel and seek out another dance partner. Silently, Sokka gave himself another point.

"It's not crooked," he answered Toph, pushing himself off the wall he was resting on to stand next to her. "Why?"

"I haven't danced all night. Something's wrong. You wouldn't play a joke on a blind girl by letting her walk around with a crooked skirt or tilted hairpin at a fancy party, would you?" she accused.

"Of course not," he said, sounding insulted that she would even think such a thing. "What kind of guy do you think I am?"

"Okay, then be honest. Did my maids do something weird to my makeup or are the other men here also blind?"

"Toph, you're beautiful, and they can see you," he sighed.

"Then why the hell haven't they asked me to dance?" she raged.

"Maybe it's because of your nasty temper."

"Shut up. I don't have a nasty temper."

"I didn't think not being asked to dance would bother you this much," Sokka said thoughtfully.

"I'm a woman, aren't I? You might not believe it, but I do like being fawned over once and a while, and by people who aren't paid to do it."

"Oh."

Toph sighed. She wondered if he would ever think of her as more than the little girl who'd run away from home to join in an adventure.

Sokka smiled. He wondered if she would ever realize that he was no longer the teenage boy who'd fallen in love with the moon and the flash of a golden fan.

To Toph's surprise, he took her hand in his.

"Would you like to dance, Lady Bei-Fong?" Sokka asked formally, bowing over her hand.

"Uh...I-I guess."

He led her onto the dance floor, and in unison, they moved closer to each other.

"If you step on my foot with those heavy boots of yours..."

"Have a little faith," he whispered in her ear. "I'm a lot better at this than you think."

Her hand resting in his, Toph couldn't help smiling. The arm he put around her tightened just a little bit, and they began to dance.

-fin-


	5. Talent

**#57 - Talent  
**

* * *

The whispers started shortly after her sixth birthday. When the rock had failed to move under her outstretched hand. When the water refused to slide over the top of the bowl at her waving fingers. The daughter of the most powerful Earthbender in the world, and the niece of one of the greatest Waterbending Masters in the Water Tribes was not to join the ranks of her elders. Like her father, she was common, but at least, he had the distinction of being a great war hero whereas, she was only a child who'd failed to meet expectations.

Anli sat in the pavilion hidden amongst the flowers and trees that turned her family's walled compound into a paradise. Quietly, she embroidered yet another pillowcase, trying not to think about the fact that they were quickly running out of space of her work in the grand mansion at her back. Her fingers were nimble and sure as she stitched an intricate pattern of vines and flowers into the delicate silk. They mimicked the vines that twined around the pavilion's post, and like all of her embroidery, was a snapshot of the home she loved. At ten, she'd already surpassed her older sister's and her mother's ability...to embroider anyway. Though judging from what she'd seen of her mother's old work, it wasn't saying much; she'd seen her father repair a hole in his pants with more finesse.

"Anli," Toph said, loudly making her way towards the pavilion. "Anli, where are you?"

"Here, Mom," Anli called out without looking up.

Her mother's sightless, jade-colored eyes managed to land on her face. Toph entered the pavilion and sat down with a huff, leaning heavily against the back of the bench. From the expression on her face, Anli could guess that she'd just been meeting with some difficult clients or was on her way to. Her behavior was in direct contrast to the finery she was currently dressed in, right down to the delicate gold bangles around her ankles, but Anli was used to her. It was one of her favorite things about her mother, that she flouted convention at every possible opportunity.

"Your father is insane," Toph remarked.

"I know. Rest here, Mom, where he can't find you. I won't tell," Anli said, chuckling.

Toph smiled.

"I knew I could count on you. And don't tell him you've seen me. He's been chasing me around all day and it's gonna make _me _insane. What are you making now, my little one?" she asked.

Anli held out her work and Toph traced a finger on the design. Her expression relaxed and her smile became soft.

"It's beautiful," she said. "You've got quite the talent for embroidery. I've heard too many people say that they've never seen anything like it before."

"Thank you. I'm happy to bring some honor to the family."

Toph arched an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean _some_? You're only ten and you're famous for your work. I'd say that's a big boatful of honor."

"I'm only famous because I can't bend and then people find out I can do this instead," Anli said matter-of-factly, in that honest way that only children had.

"Don't be ridiculous," Toph scoffed, but she wasn't surprised at what she was hearing. "That doesn't mean you're not talented."

Anli didn't answer, focusing her attention on her work.

Toph sighed. She'd taken for granted that her littlest daughter had a sweet nature that came from neither of her parents, and had not, until this point, ever said anything about her lack of ability to bend. Sokka had told her that Anli hadn't cried when they'd discovered she couldn't bend, that her blue eyes hadn't filled with unshed tears. Instead, their youngest had merely looked away and walked off with more dignity than a six year old should have had. Toph had been proud of that, but she knew shouldn't have expected it to remain a non-issue; not when Anli's older sister was deep into her training, not when she was surrounded by aunts and uncles who'd made names for themselves by being powerful benders.

Still, she was the daughter of a powerful Earthbender and an annoying, but wily Water Tribe warrior. Once upon a time, Toph herself had been hidden away from the world because of her disability, and she wasn't about to let her daughter do the same to herself just because she was different.

Toph stood and sat next to her daughter. She put an arm around Anli's thin shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

"You know, I never said thank you for all the beautiful work that you've done with your embroidery," she said evenly. "It never bothered me before, not being able to see, but since you and your sister were born, I sometimes wonder what you look like, and a part of me wishes for things I can't have."

"But when I touch a pillow or a hanging that you've made, I get an idea of how the rest of you see what's around us. Nothing makes me happier than to find a new picture of our garden or of your Dad's boat. Because of you, I can share a little bit more of your lives when I couldn't before you picked up a needle. I hope you don't think I sound selfish when I say that I'm glad you have this talent instead of any other, my little one."

Anli carefully put her embroidery down on the table in front of her before she turned and put her arms around her mother, her face wet with her tears.

"I love you, Mom."

Toph smiled and held her tight.

"I love you, too."

-fin-


	6. Tactless

**Tact Is Not At All Overrated**

Neither of them gave much thought to what they were saying and how they were saying it, that much was certain. It was a simple truth that Sokka and Toph should never be in attendance during sensitive negotiations, when lies littered the air as comfortably as...air.

Their lack of tact wasn't due to thoughtlessness—at least, not _all_ the time—but a need for more honesty during a time when nothing was sure, and they could be betrayed by their closest allies and just as easily be helped by their greatest enemies. It was also hard to ignore the entertainment value in stirring things up a little.

They recognized this about each other and were unspoken allies in The Plan to Ignore All Societal Niceties. Toph had never bothered to hide her scorn for the rules that governed human relations, and Sokka...well, Sokka just wasn't aware there were rules. While Aang and Katara waded through the diplomatic hoo-hah that the business of peacemaking tended to create, they stood in corners, whispering jokes and occasionally, greeting a Very Important Person with rude names.

Namely Zuko.

Of course, they also turned on each other when there was nothing else to do. Toph tended to get the better of her partner during those times, Sokka finding himself no match for her thinly veiled barbs because she always seemed to have the element of surprise on her side. Even after all these years, he still didn't expect the razor sharp words to come out of that delicate mouth. However, sometimes he did try to get the upper-hand.

"What's with the outfit, Toph? You off to impress some fancy-pants boulder mover? The clock is ticking, old girl. What are you, seventeen now? It's about time you got on the marriage train or else you'll be some lonely old spinster sitting in the corner of your father's house moaning about how you shouldn't have let that last one get away.."

"Shut up, Ponytail," she retorted, reddening. "If I get married, who'll you hang on with then? Who'll be standing around with you, listening to your idiot comments, and laughing at them even when they're not_ that _funny?"

"With these looks, I could ensnare an innocent young lady to be my sidekick," Sokka said archly.

"I'm not your sidekick. You're mine. And you could ensnare some pretty girl to be your arm candy, but believe me, she won't laugh and she won't respond," Toph said, sounding like she was enjoying herself. "Face it, Boomerang...I'm your perfect companion and the last thing you want is for me to get married."

Sokka stared at her.

Not for the first time, his tactlessness got the better of him.

She was right.

"Dammit," he muttered.

Toph grinned and looped her arm through his.

"Come on. I think Zuko just came in."

Sokka let her drag him across the floor. He stared at the back of her head, at the elaborately done hair and the slender body wrapped in the delicate silks. She was beautiful, she was rich, and she wasn't going to be alone for long. He saw the other men in the room glance at her, calculating, measuring.

And he glared at them.

-fin-


End file.
